NAROWAL: Two girls died of burns and 11 others suffered critical injuries when two gas cylinders exploded during decanting here on Monday at Sukho Chak, Shakargarh tehsil.

Abdul Mannan used to decant gas into cylinders at his grocery shop set up at his house. On Sunday night, a cylinder exploded during decanting and locals, including seven children, gathered there. In the meantime, another cylinder exploded and a fire erupted, causing injuries to 13 people, including Ghazanfar Ali (15), Najma (7), Amina (8), Mahak (3), Friha (4), Rafia Begum, Nasim Bibi, Abdul Mannan and Noman Iqbal.

Rescue1122 and Falah-i-Insaniat teams rushed the injured to Shakargarh Tehsil Headquarters Hospital from where they were shifted to Narowal DHQ Hospital. As the DHQ hospital didn’t have a burns unit, the injured were referred to Lahore. Later, Amina and Mahak succumbed to their injuries at the Mayo Hospital.

According to Rescue 1122 and Narowal DHQ Hospital doctors, the injured have up to 70 per cent burns.

It merits mentioning that about 10 years ago 22 people were burnt alive in a gas cylinder blast at Anayat Market, Narowal.

Published in Dawn, July 11th, 2017